HIV/AIDS awareness to reach grassroots in UP

[Guest guest]

Jan 25, 2010 Lucknow: After receiving encouraging results from five districts

where Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (UPSACS) had roped in grassroots

level health workers for HIV/AIDS training and awareness programmes, the

organisation is planning to approach self help groups (SHG) as well as village

panchayats for bringing the HIV/AIDS training and awareness programmes into the

mainstream.

" We have already trained more than 2,000 anganwadi and ASHA workers from five

districts between June and December last year and the results were encouraging, "

said Ramesh Menon, Project Director, State Mainstreaming Unit, UPSACS.

While Banda, Itawa, Devariya, and Mau were chosen for being Category A districts

— the vulnerable districts of the state, Moradabad was chosen because of its

industrial background.

" The intake of services like HIV testing among pregnant women as well as general

masses significantly increased in these districts. Also, we traced four to five

patients in each district who were HIV positive and required to visit our Anti

Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre for medication, " said Menon.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hiv-aids-awareness-to-reach-grassroots-in-up-t\

hrough/571392/